
DATE: Tuesday, June 24, 1997                TAG: 9706250746

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY MILES DANIELS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: MANTEO                            LENGTH:   99 lines

CLOSING THE BOOKS ON A GOOD YEAR YEARBOOK'S CUTTING EDGE HELPS IT PLACE SECOND; PAPER FOLLOWS SUIT.

Stories about sex, drugs and religion don't usually appear in high school yearbooks.

But for Colleen Kelly, that mixture of real life was an award-winning combination.

The Manteo High School yearbook, ``Sandfiddler,'' claimed 13 awards last week in a state scholastic competition at Chapel Hill and was ranked second overall in the state. Kelly, editor-in-chief, scored in seven individual categories.

``Winning all of these awards really validates the hard work,'' Kelly, 18, of Southern Shores, said Monday. ``I smiled so much that my face hurt.''

The awards were presented as part of the 60th Annual North Carolina Scholastic Media Summer Institute. In addition to a winning yearbook, Manteo High School students also produced an award-winning newspaper again this year. ``Sound to Sea'' claimed 20 awards - including second place in the best overall category.

``Caught in the Middle'' was the theme of this year's Sandfiddler.

The first part of the book has a neat and clean look and covers homecoming, pep rallies and other traditional school activities. The middle of the book displays the students, those who are caught in the middle of reality and the daily grind. The last part is grungy and alternative and deals with issues such as religious preference, drug abuse and the choices and consequences of sex.

Kelly said her cutting-edge publication ``is largely a reflection of my own life and how I view the high school existence.''

This is the first year the Dare County school has competed in the medium schools category, with enrollments of 900 to 1,200 students.

``I'm always happy to win,'' said Robin Sawyer, publications adviser at Manteo High School. ``Members of a basketball team get to go out on the court and perform to applause.

``But with newspaper and yearbook, the awards we receive do the applause.''

Manteo High School's publications have won more than 150 national and state-wide awards in the six years Sawyer has been adviser. Three years ago, Sawyer added the yearbook to her program. But until this year, the newspaper took home all the honors.

Manteo High's publications class is constantly recognized in state and local competitions.

``Each year my students try to carry on the tradition set by their predecessors,'' Sawyer said. ``It's gratifying to have students each year who want to pick up the torch and carry it on.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

DREW C. WILSON/The Virginian-Pilot

Colleen Kelly, editor-in-chief of the Manteo High School yearbook,

won seven awards from the state Scholastic Media Association last

week. The yearbook and the school newspaper both placed second

overall in state ratings, continuing the school's prominence in its

publications.

Graphic

YEARBOOK, PAPER AWARDS

In the newspaper division, ``Sound to Sea'' and individual staff

members collected 20 awards including:

1st Place Overall Advertising

2nd Place Overall News